Note: I made a slight change to one of their first dates. I will start the fdk thread and post it there. It's not a huge deal but a some stuff later won't make much sense if you don't know about it.
Thanks - as always - to Alisha, Beth, Nancy and CarolynK
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And the Meteors in this section bear a striking resemblance to the 1987 Yankees
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*****
Chapter 6
*****
"I can’t believe she’s really gone," Lucy whispered as she rested her head on Jimmy’s chest as they rested on one of the beds in her hotel room.
"I know, honey."
They laid there for a long time. "When’s Clark taking you back?"
"About ten, I think."
"So we have a little while?"
"Yeah."
"I missed you yesterday," she told him.
"I missed you, too."
She tipped her head towards him and he kissed her gently. She shifted so she could kiss him more fully. Before long, the passion escalated, intensified past any point they'd been to in their fifteen month relationship.
"Make love to me, Jimmy," she whispered.
He stilled before rolling onto his back and letting out a breath towards the ceiling. "I'm sorry, Lucy."
She sighed and rolled onto her side, propping herself up on one elbow. "For what? For kissing me?" She wiped a tear off her cheek. "For making me feel loved?"
He moved back onto his side and reached out to tuck her hair behind her ear. "For letting things go farther than they should have. For pushing the limits we set for ourselves."
"You didn't push them by yourself," she pointed out.
"I know, but I promised Clark I wouldn't make love to you before you're eighteen at least. I promised myself I'd never try to take advantage of you. And, most importantly, I promised *you* that I wouldn't do that - not until we agreed we were ready for that."
"I know..."
He kissed her again, tenderly. "I love you, Luce and I want our first time together to be special - whether we wait until our wedding night or some other time between now and then. I don't want it to be because we're sad and want to connect but at the same time know that we promised each other we wouldn't and wonder if your sister or brother-in-law are going to knock on the door at any moment."
"You're right." She sighed. "I know you are but at the same time..."
Jimmy smiled at her. "I didn't say the idea wasn't very tempting, but at the same time, I know I don't have any protection with me either. And I *know* neither of us wants a baby right now."
She chuckled. "Clark said something about that to me when he had his little 'don't have sex' talk with me."
"Me, too."
Lucy grinned wickedly. "Maybe we could get something from them."
"What?!"
"Well, I know Lois isn't on birth control so they must be using something else..." She dissolved into giggles. "Can't you just see their faces? One of us goes next door all rumpled, hair messed up, shirt buttoned wrong and only half tucked in, missing a shoe and asks for a condom."
Jimmy laughed with her. "That'd go over real well, wouldn't it?"
"Lois would probably be livid and Clark would probably take you to roughly the cruising altitude of airliners and drop you. Or we could be interrupting something over there and then they'd really be upset."
They laughed at that.
"You know," Lucy said thoughtfully after they calmed back down. "I have no desire to pry into their sex life at all, but I've lived above them for two years now and I've *never* heard or seen *anything*. I heard my parents all the time and that was through a wall. I thought about that after Christmas last year - you know, when you hung the mistletoe up."
"I remember. Clark wasn't very happy about me kissing you and he hid the mistletoe I brought this year and I couldn't find it."
"Right, but did you notice, they never walked through that archway? They went through the other one exclusively and not just that day - until we took the decorations down. I thought about it for a long time that night and I've kept an eye out since. I've *never* seen them kiss. *Ever*."
"Really?" Jimmy was astonished.
She nodded. "Never. I've seen Clark kiss the top of her head or her cheek sometimes when he's leaving or getting home, but that's it and he does that with me sometimes, too. I've never seen her do even that much."
"Maybe they're just not a PDA couple."
"But at home's not public. It's just me - and maybe you. When we're watching a movie, how do we sit?"
He shrugged. "Together."
"In a big chair or on the couch or something, right?"
"Yeah."
"The only time I've ever seen them sit together like that was the night Clark told us about himself."
"Maybe it goes back to a disdain for PDA."
Lucy shrugged. "Maybe, but I don't think so. Clark hugs me all the time or stands with his arm on my shoulder, things like that, but never with Lois. His wife."
"Maybe it's *Lois'* disdain for PDA."
"I guess that could be."
He was thoughtful for a moment. "When we first started dating, I wondered how they made things work. Now that I know them so much better, I wonder even more. I mean, they rarely see each other except late at night and maybe part of one weekend day. One or both of us is usually around. It has to be hard. I see you - and them - a lot more than they see each other, I think."
"Clark told me that life after high school is very different than life during high school and that even a couple that works during high school might not afterwards and that was one big reason why he wanted us to consider waiting until after I graduated to make love together. Couldn't the same thing apply to them and college? Once they graduate next year, their lives are going to be so different. I mean, I know Perry's done everything but hand them contracts for after graduation. They'll be working together - the same shifts - and be home a lot more." A tear slid down her cheek. "If what Clark said about high school is true, I wonder if they'll make it after college?"
He reached out and wiped the tears off her face. "I'm sure they'll be fine. They love each other and that can make a lot of things work." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a velvet box. "I was going to wait until Valentine's Day to give this to you, but I brought it with me just in case there was a good time today." He held it out for her to take. "I love you."
She took it from him and opened it slowly. "Oh, Jimmy," she said softly. Nestled in the white satin was a gold ring - a heart with a tiny diamond in it.
"It's a promise ring. It's my intention to marry you someday. I know neither one of us is ready for a proposal yet, but I wanted to let you know - to let the world know - that I've promised myself to you."
She handed the box back to him. "Will you put it on for me?"
He tugged gently on the ring and reached for her left hand, sliding the ring onto her finger. He pulled her hand to his lips and kissed it softly. "I love you."
"I love you, too."
*****
May 1987
*****
"Hey, graduate!" Lucy flung her arms around Jimmy's neck as she finally found him outside the UNT Met gym.
Jimmy wrapped his arms around her and swung her around. "Hey, yourself!" He set her down and kissed her soundly on the lips.
"Hey, now. None of that," Clark said with a smile as he, Lois, Perry and Alice walked up. He looked around. "Where's your mom?"
Jimmy sighed. "She couldn't come. Her boss called her at the last minute and said that if she didn't come to work she'd lose her job."
"Didn't she tell him that her son was graduating?" Lois asked, indignant.
He shrugged. "Yeah, but that doesn't matter to bosses."
"It would to me," Perry said gruffly.
"But not all bosses are like you, Chief," Lucy pointed out.
"True." He clapped Jimmy on the shoulder. "I'm proud of you, son."
"Thanks, Chief."
"Now, let's get back to the house and get this party started."
*****
Lucy sat on the stairs that led from the deck to the yard behind the Whites' house. Jimmy moved to sit behind her and wrapped his arms around her. She leaned back into him. "I'm proud of you, Jim."
"Thanks, Babe." He kissed the side of her head.
"Does it feel any different?"
He shrugged. "Not really. I mean, I don't have to get up for school Monday, but Perry's got me working days until the new semester starts, so I still have to be at work early. But since I'm not working nights, that means I can spend more time with you," he said smiling.
"That's always nice." She sat quietly for a minute. "I wonder if I should get a job this summer."
"What makes you think of that?"
"Well, Lois and Clark work their tails off so I don't have to work during the school year, but I'm only taking one class this summer and that's dual enrollment so I'll have a couple of college credits by the time I get there."
"Have you talked to them about it yet?"
"No, but I'm going to be eighteen in a couple months and then they won't get the foster care stipend but they'll still be supporting me unless I move out and I don't think I want to do that. I mean, I'm not crazy about living above their room still, but I'm still in high school and I don't want to have to work hard enough to support myself because if I did, I'd never make it through school."
"And they wouldn't expect you to."
"I know, but maybe I'll get a job this summer and can at least buy my own clothes and stuff."
"As long as you're in school, does the stipend end at eighteen?"
She shrugged. "I thought it did but maybe not. I don't know. Regardless, I think it's probably time for me to get a part-time job at least. Think Perry's hiring?"
"Probably. If he's not, someone at the Planet is for something."
"I'll talk to him later. Even if I don't need money to help support myself, it's not a bad idea to start getting some savings for college and stuff."
His arms tightened around her. "And stuff?"
She looked up at him and smiled. "Yes. Stuff."
He kissed her gently. "Like what?"
"Oh, I don't know. Cruise to Alaska. Skiing in the Alps. Climbing Everest. Things like that."
"Ah. What about a wedding? Would you want to be saving up for that?"
She wrinkled her nose. "Nah. When I find a guy I want to marry, we'll just go find the nearest J.P."
He groaned. "I'll remember that. Bet you don't want that diamond ring either, do you?"
She giggled. "No, the diamond ring is necessary."
"Well, technically, I already gave you one, so we're good, right?"
She smacked his arm lightly. "Not if you want to get lucky on your wedding night."
He threw back his head and laughed heartily. When he finally calmed down, he said, "So we've been waiting years to finally be together, but for some reason I haven't been able to get you a real engagement ring. We go see the J.P. and get married and we don't make love that night because I didn't get you a ring?"
"Yep." She turned enough to kiss him. "So you might want to remember that."
She was joking – and he knew she was joking. There was very little that could stop them from being together on their wedding night – whether they waited until then or not.
"So, you're almost eighteen," he said quietly. "We probably need to talk about that again pretty soon."
"Yeah, we probably should."
"What are you thinking?"
"I don't know. Part of me is thinking that I'll be eighteen and, even though I'll still be living with Lois and Clark, it's not like it would be illegal and they technically wouldn't have anything to say about it."
"Not legally, but I'm sure both of them would have something to say. I *know* Clark would."
"After all he's done for me and Lois, I don't want to disappoint him," she said quietly.
"I know."
"Would you mind if we waited until at least this time next year? After I've been out of school for a little while?"
"Would I like to be with you before then? Yeah, of course, but I understand the decision and really, I agree with it. It wasn't that Clark said..." He used his best stern voice. "... 'you will not have sex with my foster daughter unless you marry her, young man, or you'll answer to me' or anything, but he did ask that we strongly consider waiting until you're out of high school and Perry and Alice both said something along the same lines. They've lived a little more life than we have and maybe they know something we don't."
Lucy nodded. "That makes sense and, I know it has to be *our* decision, but I don't want to disappoint them either. Can you imagine – even if we were careful – what would happen if I got pregnant? What their faces would be like when we told them?"
"I can't forget what he told me. To treat you like I'd want someone to treat my daughter. To be perfectly honest, if we ever have a daughter, I don't think I want her having sex. Ever. Because that means some guy..." His voice trailed off. "But, of course, that's not what I want with you. I want to be with you, to make love to you someday, when the time's right, but my daughter's different... Does that make sense at all?"
"Yeah, it does." She kissed him lightly again. "It means that you're going to be a perfect gentleman – probably until we get married – and anytime the thought of doing more than making out with me crosses your mind, you'll either hear Clark in your head or see him standing over us or something."
"Exactly." He kissed her this time. "So we wait until at least next summer."
"Yep."
"I'm sure Clark will be glad to hear that."
Lucy giggled. "I don't think we need to actually talk to him about it."
"I think you're probably right."
*****
August 1987
*****
"You're going."
"No, I'm not."
"Yes, you are."
"No, I'm not."
"It's my birthday and we're going." Lucy crossed her arms in front of her and stared at Lois.
"I don't want to go."
"You said we could do what I wanted as long as it didn't cost much and this is what I want."
"Well, I don't even know if Clark can go," Lois said, sounding defensive.
"Ask him."
"I don't know when I'll see him. He's working late tonight and tomorrow night. We'll both be asleep by the time he gets home."
"So? Leave him a note that you want to talk to him and to wake you up when he gets home."
"I don't want him to wake me up. I'm tired. I've had a long day today and I'm going to have a long day tomorrow and I don't want to go on Friday."
"Then I'll talk to him. I'll see him tomorrow."
"He probably has to work Friday night anyway," Lois told her as she headed to the bedroom to get her work clothes out.
"You don't know?" Lucy asked with narrowed eyes. Something was going on – something she couldn’t quite put her finger on.
"No."
"When was the last time you talked to him?"
"Last night." Lois didn't look at her as she spoke.
"What did you talk about?"
Lois glared at her. "None of your business."
Lucy just stared.
"Fine. We talked about this month's budget, if you must know. And how your curfew is going to be earlier and earlier if you don't leave me alone."
"When was the last time you two went out on a date?"
"We're married, Luce. We don't date."
"You should, but that's not my question. When was the last time you two went out and did something together – just the two of you?"
Lois sighed. "We eat lunch together some days during school."
"That's it?"
"We're both busy trying to make enough of a living to support all three of us and two cars and get through school. It doesn't leave a lot of time and energy for anything else."
"Then this is perfect." Lucy said with a grin. "Jimmy got the tickets for free. We all have Metro passes already so that'll get us there. And I want to go out with my boyfriend and my sister and her husband for my birthday. Practically for free – so you can't pull any 'not in the budget' nonsense on me."
Lois sighed. "I don't want to go to a baseball game Friday night."
"It's the Meteors versus the St. Louis Cardinals."
"So?"
Lucy practically gaped at her. "Clark grew up watching and listening to the Cardinals. They're his favorite team and have been since he was little and went to games with his dad." Lois stared at her blankly. "You didn't know that?"
Lois shook her head slightly. "I never have followed baseball and just forgot; that's all." She sighed. "Fine. If Clark says he can go, I'll go."
Lucy squealed slightly and hugged her. "Thanks, Lo."
*****
Lucy followed Jimmy further and further down the stairs at Metro Stadium. Lois and Clark were behind her.
"How'd you get these seats again, Jim?" her brother-in-law called.
"Dwight in Sports got 'em for me." Jimmy stopped about four rows from the bottom of the stairs and the playing field. "This is us. We're even on the aisle."
Lucy headed into the row first. "And we get food down here?"
"Yep," Jimmy said as he followed her in. "All we can eat from the concession stand at the top of the section or we can order off that menu from one of the... waitresses or whatever they call them but that costs money. And the alcohol isn't free either."
"Clark's the only one old enough to drink anyway." Lucy sat in the fourth seat in. Jimmy sat next to her and promptly put his arm around the back of her seat.
Clark sat next to him and Lois took the seat on the aisle. Clark leaned forward and started pointing at people on the field. "Ozzie Smith, Willie McGee, Jose Oquendo. There's Whitey Herzog. He's managed the Cardinals since 1980. They won the World Series in 1982 and lost to the Kansas City Royals in 1985, but they were so robbed in Game 6 when a Cardinal who was safe was called out and a Royal who was out was called safe."
Jimmy shook his head the whole time Clark was speaking. "But there's Lou Pinella and Don Mattingly and Tommy John and Willie Randolph."
"But the Cardinals are *going* to win the pennant this year. The Meteors... not so much, there, Jim. They won the division in '80 and went to the Series in '81 where they lost to the Dodgers. That's been seven years."
Lucy looked over at Lois behind their backs and rolled her eyes. Lois gave a small half smile and slumped back in her seat, propping her foot up on the arm of the chair in front of her and folding her arms over her stomach.
Jimmy settled back in his seat again, arm immediately going around Lucy. "See how much fun this is, Babe?"
Lucy rolled her eyes. "Get me a hot dog and some nachos and we'll talk."
Jimmy laughed. "Come on, Clark. Let's go get these ladies some food before the game starts."
Lucy told him what she wanted and Lois told Clark she didn't want anything. Lucy watched her sister contemplatively. "Come on, Lois. Please at least try to enjoy yourself."
Lois sighed and stood up. "Move over. I'd rather sit and talk to you than listen to the two of them argue over which team is better and I know you'd rather sit by Jimmy, too, so..."
"Why don't you sit by Clark? I see Jimmy a lot more than you see him."
Lois smiled. "It's your birthday. Sit with Jimmy. Besides, I'm sure Clark would rather sit on the aisle so he can stretch out a bit."
Lucy stood up and moved a seat closer to the aisle. Lois slid around her and into the seat she’d just vacated.
"There. Now you and I can chat and the boys can do their ‘my team is better than your team’ thing." Lois smiled again at her sister. "Happy Birthday, Luce."
"Thanks."
"Hey, what's all this?" Jimmy handed her a tray of nachos and a soda.
"Lois and I would like to have a conversation about baseball players without you two muddling it up with stats and such," Lucy told him as she took the food from him.
He sat next to her, raising an eyebrow as he spoke. "Then what are you two going to be talking about with regards to said baseball players?"
Lucy shrugged. "Thigh muscles, tushies, arms things like that."
"With us sitting right here?"
"Yep." Lucy took a bite of a nacho.
"Can we comment on the Meteor girls between innings?" Jimmy asked her.
"Nope," she answered around another bite of nacho.
"Isn't that some kind of double standard?"
"Yep. Sure is. It's my birthday. I make the rules."
"I'll remember that," Jimmy told her, a twinkle in his eye.
"I also make the rules on your birthday," she told him as she took another bit of her nachos.
"Really?" he asked, leaning slightly closer to her.
Clark cleared his throat. "So, Jim, how did you convince Dwight to get these tickets for you?"
He laughed. "Chill out, Clark. I got him some information he really needed on one of those fighters next week. He's good friends with one of the PR people here and he got them for me."
"That was really nice of him. Once we get over to the Planet, I'll have to make it a point to get to know him – and not just so I can get tickets either. Sounds like a good guy."
"He got me tickets to the Meteors-White Sox game in a couple weeks. The seats aren't behind home plate like this time, but Lucy doesn't want to go. You in?"
"If I don't have to work and Lois and I don't have anything planned..." Clark glanced over at his wife.
Lois shrugged. "I don't care if you go. You'll enjoy it."
"Okay, then. If I'm not working, I'm here. Thanks, Jim."
Lucy turned to her sister. "Okay, you've got a good point. I'd rather chat with you than the two of them if they're going to be like this."
Lois laughed lightly. "Told you."
Jimmy turned to Lucy. "I thought I was going to explain the finer points of baseball to you."
Lucy shrugged. "You still can. Lois and I will simply discuss the finer points of the baseball players with each other."
He sighed and turned back to Clark. "At least we won't have to listen to the two of them at the next game."
*****
Clark and Jimmy had gone to get some more food during the top of the third inning, when Lucy turned to her sister. "Are you okay?"
Lois took a sip of her drink. "Of course. Why wouldn't I be?"
Lucy shrugged. "Are things okay with you and Clark? You seem a bit off. Did you have a fight or something?"
Lois shook her head. "No, we're fine. I'm just tired and it's hot. That's probably what you're picking up on."
Lucy raised an eyebrow. "It's seventy-five degrees, slightly overcast and the sun that is out is nowhere near you. It's a *beautiful* night for early August."
"It could be worse," Lois admitted grudgingly. "But there's nothing going on with me and Clark. I'm sorry if I'm being a damper on your birthday – I don't mean to be. And I *am* tired."
"Would you tell me if there was something wrong between you two?"
Lois paused before shaking her head. "No. I wouldn't."
"Why not?"
Lois looked at her and tucked a wayward strand of hair behind her ear. "Because you have enough to worry about with finishing high school and building a relationship with Jimmy and everything else. I wouldn't burden you with any problems Clark and I might or might not be having."
"I love you, Lois, and I love Clark, even if I wasn't so sure about him at first. And I hate the thought of anything being wrong with you two."
Lois smiled at her. "Our relationship is as solid as it's been in a long time, Luce. You don't need to worry about us."
"Are you sure?"
"I'm sure." She looked up. "Here they are now." She took the hot dog, bag of chips and drink Clark handed her. "Thanks."
"My pleasure." He smiled at her as he sat back down. "It's what I'm here for. That and to try to distract Lucy when some cute second baseman is up to bat."
"What?" Lucy asked.
"I've been informed that it's my civic duty." He glanced at Jimmy. "At least that's what a little birdie told me."
"Really?" She eyed her boyfriend. "And you weren't eyeing the Meteor girls between innings?"
"No." He held her gaze. "I was watching the left fielder."
"Okay, then."
Lucy and Lois chatted while Jimmy and Clark argued over the finer points of the game and called strikes and balls, as well as a hit that was ruled a home run that Clark – surreptitiously using his vision – insisted was touched by a fan before going over the wall and should have been a ground-rule double.
By the middle of the sixth, both girls had to visit the bathroom. They managed to get separated in line and Lois was done well before her sister.
Lucy washed her hands and headed back to her seat.
"I just haven't seen you much lately, Lois. That's all." Clark's voice drifted around the corner, stopping Lucy in her tracks.
"I know. We've just both been busy. That's all. Same as always. Work, school, all that," Lois replied.
"Well, neither one of us is working tonight."
"We're at a ballgame with my sister and her boyfriend for her birthday. Do you want to just leave?"
"No. Not that. Just thinking that maybe we could go for a... *walk* later or something. I don't have to work until noon tomorrow so it's not like I have to be up early."
"What about delivering papers?"
"Don's covering for me. I didn't know how late we'd be out. And I covered for him a couple weeks ago while he was out of town. And you don’t work until late tomorrow either so we could go out for a bit later if we wanted to."
There was a pause. "Well, I traded shifts with someone who wanted a later shift. I didn't know we were going to be out so late tonight when I did it. And I'm already pretty tired."
"Oh." She heard Clark sigh. "I just miss spending more time with you." He spoke so quietly that Lucy almost didn't hear him.
This time Lois sighed. "I know." There was another slight pause. "I miss spending more time with you, too." There was an undercurrent of strain that Lucy didn't know quite how to place. "But we'll graduate next year and then..."
"Perry said he'll get us on the same shifts at the Planet so at least we won't just be two ships passing in the night anymore."
"Right."
Lucy suddenly felt guilty for eavesdropping on a private conversation between her sister and her brother-in-law. She rounded the corner, expecting to see the two of them in each other's arms – even if only for a few minutes since she knew even before this that they didn't see each other much.
Instead, Lois had her arms crossed in front of her and was staring intently either at a piece of popcorn or what was likely a beer stain on the concrete. Clark had his hands shoved in the pockets of his denim shorts and was watching Lois.
Lucy's eyes narrowed nearly imperceptibly. Lois had just assured her that the two of them were as solid as ever, but what Lucy was witnessing now certainly didn't look all that solid. Was *walk* their code for Clark flying them somewhere for some... alone time without her around? Maybe she and Jimmy should make themselves scarce a little more often when the two of them were home at the same time.
Clark looked over and saw her. "Hey, Luce. Ready to head back to our seats or do you want something to get something to eat?"
"I'm fine."
Lois had a bright smile on her face. "Then let's go. That second baseman's coming up this inning, isn't he?"
Lucy grinned, putting what she'd heard in the back of her mind. "Yep. Let's go."
They stretched in the middle of the seventh inning and Clark grinned as Willie McGee crossed the plate in the ninth as the go ahead run. Unable to mount enough of a comeback to even make up that small of a deficit, the Meteors were defeated by the Cardinals, leaving that grin on Clark's face for the rest of the evening.
They got separated as they made it back onto the very crowded subway headed towards home. Lucy held tightly to the pole and Jimmy held onto the bar above his head, his other arm wrapped securely around her waist.
"I don't want to go home," she said into his ear as his chin rested on her shoulder.
"Why? What's wrong?"
"I'll tell you later, but I want to let Lois and Clark go home and go somewhere with just you."
"Whatever you want, Babe. It's your birthday. Where do you want to go?"
"Let's go get some ice cream or something."
"Sure you don't want them to come with us?"
She shook her head. "No. Just you and me."
"Okay."
Forty-five minutes later, they had frozen custard in hand and were walking through Centennial Park.
"Want to tell me what all this is about?" Jimmy asked before taking a big bite of his dessert.
Lucy shrugged. They'd stayed on the train after Lois and Clark got off at their usual stop. They'd seen Clark give them a puzzled look as the train pulled out and then he'd held up one finger on one hand and a two on the other while using his best stern-guardian face. "I just wanted to give Lois and Clark some time together. I know they don't see each other much as it is these days and when they are together, they're either studying or doing the budget or we're there or all three. Tonight, they're both off and they can have some time alone together. Summer semester is over so there's no schoolwork to worry about and Lois told me they did the budget earlier this week so... I just thought it might be good for them to have some time to themselves. Without us. And I wanted some time with you, too."
"Good call," he told her before wrapping his arms around her. "I haven't been able to give you the rest of your birthday present."
"Oh? What's that?"
"Now, don't get your hopes up. It's nothing big or anything."
"That's okay. Getting the tickets and some time with my sister was more than enough, even if it didn't cost you anything."
"Well, this didn't cost much either. Well," he conceded. "It didn't cost anything."
She smiled. "The only other thing I really want from you is a good kiss. Clark was watching us the whole time we were on the kiss-cam."
"It's a good thing that's what I got you."
He pulled her slightly closer before lowering his lips to hers.
They were both more than slightly breathless a few moments later.
"Much better," she said smiling at him. "But my custard is melting."
He laughed. "Your priorities are always right on."
"Aren't they?"
He released her and they continued their slow walk through the park.
*****
"Where'd you two go last night?" Lois asked as Lucy wandered out of the bedroom.
"For frozen custard and a walk in the park. I thought you had to work early today." Lucy yawned as she finished. "Where's Clark?"
"He left to deliver papers and pick up an extra shift at the Star." Lois didn't look at her sister as she spoke.
"Ah. I thought he had someone to cover for him this morning."
Lois shrugged. "Guess he got uncovered."
"And you didn't have to work this morning?"
Lois quickly turned to the refrigerator and opened it, but not before Lucy caught a glimpse of a look she didn't quite understand. "No. Do you want some juice?"
"No, thanks."
"Why didn't you tell us you were going somewhere else? We would have gone with you."
"We didn't decide until we'd left the stadium." Lucy shrugged. "And I wanted to be able to kiss Jimmy without Clark looking over our shoulders." She sat on the couch. "I thought you and Clark might want some time alone, too." She watched her sister intently.
"Well, thanks, then. I guess." Lois looked uncomfortable, but was covering it pretty well. But Lucy – who knew her better than anyone, except probably Clark – wasn't fooled.
"What is it, Lois?"
"What is what?"
"What's bothering you?"
Lois smiled. "Nothing. I'm fine."
"And you and Clark are good?"
The smile disappeared. "Why do you keep asking me that? I told you last night that we're as solid as ever."
Lucy shrugged. "You're my sister and I worry about you. I just keep getting this impression that something's off with you."
"Well, there's nothing to worry about. Things between me and Clark are as good as ever."
Lucy nodded. "Okay, then. I'm sorry. I won't ask again."
"Please don't," Lois said quietly. "I don't need to worry about you worrying about us."
"Okay." Lucy agreed to let it drop, but continued to turn it over in her mind.
*****
TBC
